Railway car hand brake



A ril 4, 1-939. E. E. VAN, CLEAVE 2,152,715

RAILWAY CAR HAND'BRAKE Filed July 21, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q9 I 3 1 M Z 4? 'll 5' 2a 45 42 a o o I I l "mm; O O I] 7 E1 April 4, 1939. E. E. VAN CLEAVE RAIL AY CAR HAND BRAKE Filed July 21, 1937 s Sheet5-Shet 2 a .m M

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April 4, 1939. V E. E. VAN CLEAVE I 2,152,715

7' RAILWAY CAR HAND BRAKE Filed July 21. 1957 v 3 Shqets Sheet s Ja /672%.- b dwa'z W472 kave, M,

Patented Apr. 4, 1939 "UNITED, STATES PA EN jo Flc 2.152.115 RAILWAY can HAND BRlEQKE Edwin E. Van. 01m, Chicago, n|., assignor of one-half to Alois Wiedenbauer, Chicago, Ill.

Application Julyi 21,-193 7, Ser-ial No.1154i8l0 7 Claims.

but an additional purpose of the present invention is the provision of automatic mechanical holding. means serving to keep the brakes applied irrespective of any possible, reduction in pressure in the hydraulic part of themechanism.

Other features of the invention are a more direct leverage connection between the hydraulic plunger and the brake rigging, a moresymmetrical and simple construction including changes rendering hydraulic brakeoperating means more particularly suitable for railway cars, and the use of a plurality of pressure creating, plungers of differing capacities whereby a quick take-up may be followed by the use of a low capacity hlgh-pressure'plunger and cylinder. v

A further object of the invention is. to provide an automatic valve arrangement for cutting out the large capacity cylinder upon a predetermined motion of the brake-operatingram;

These objects are accomplished by meansrof ,a construction as illustrated wherein: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary end view of a box car with the improved brake-operating means applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view as indicated bythe' line 2-2 on Fig. 1. Fig. .3 is an enlarged front view partly in sec- :tion of a'hydraulic brake-operating unit.

1 Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional detail of the operating 7 unit.

Fig. 5 is a. horizontal sectional view of the unit as indicated by the line 55 on Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the operating unit. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail of a cylinder cutout valve mechanism moved to the cut-out position. The valve is shown closed in Fig. 4 and open in Fig. 7. r

So far as known, the universal practice in hand-operated supplemental brake-operating means for railway cars' is the employment of mechanical connections for insuring the application of the brakes independently of the air brake system. A hydraulic system for this purpose has the advantage of permitting the use of variable leverage in the hand-operated brake applying means and also providesfor a graduated release without necessitating the operator's resisting the reactive force from the jreleased brakes. For successful practical use, hydraulic brake-open ating meansshould comply in thematter of dimensions, location, form and simplicity and con- .venience of operation] with .establishedfprovi sions for brake-operating mechanism. Thefillustrated co'nstruc'tionfis designed in'its general lay-out and detailsjwith theseprovisio'ns in view. In the drawings a there is shown one endfl of a standard box freight car having the customary I m ladder 2 and platform 3 for the brakeman'. "A fragment of the usual brake rigging connections including 'chain 4' and quadrant 5 are shown be neaththe car. This quadrant or bell crank isconnected by a vertical link 5 with a vertically 15 movable rod 1 by hinge connections 8. Rod 1 has a head 9 at its'upper end resting'upon a piston or ram ll) of cylindrical form. Thehydraulic packin'gring H is attached to the lower end of the ram and fits between the inner and g0 outer cylindrical walls l2 and I3 of the'fram cylinder l4. This cylinder is shown as an integral part of a casting J5 which also forms a liquid supply -'reservoir lliand operating plunger cylinders I! and 25 Ill. Operating plungers 19 and 20 fit'the'cylinders. l] and I8 and theirlfuncti'on'is toili ft the ram it 'by' pumping fluidfrom the reservoir l6 through check valves 2| and 22; Fig. 5 into the lower end of, cylinder llrbeneathfthe ram Ill. d

'The plungers I9 and 2,0 are operated in unison by ahand lever 23 which is ful'crumed at '24. Fig. 3. to the lower end of a link25 suspended from ears 26 projecting from casting l5. Thepurpose of the link 25 is .to allow for strictly vertical mo- 35 tion of the plungers l9 and 20 which are attached by means of the pivots V2! to operatinglever 23.

The intakeports 28 and for cylinders l1 and l8are shown in Fig. 5 as controlled by the check valves 30 and 3|. The two cylinders l1 and I8 have suflicient pumping, capacity for rapidly taking up. the slack in the brake rigging and applying the brakesthrough a few oscillations of the lever 23, but, when the ram l0 arrives at a position where great force is required for the 45 final application of" the brakes a small plunger 32, Fig. 4, is uncovered by the ram.- This plunger is mounted'in the wall of thecylinderl3 and extends into the reservoir IS. A pin 33 limits the movement of the plunger 32 under-the action of 50 a spring 34; When the ram uncoversthe plunger it is pressed in the direction of the' -reservoir against the action of the spring and rocks a lever 35 to which the plunger 32 is pivoted. The lever is fulcrumed at 36 and at its lower'end carries a 55 cylinder l1 and reservoir I8.

2 slide valve 31. This valve is apertured at as for the purpose of opening a port 39 between When the port 39 is opened the liquid moved by plunger 19 by-passes back into the reservoir l6 and the entire load of further application of the brakes is taken by thelow capacity plunger One side of the ram I is provided with ratchet teeth 40, and a pawl 4|,

brakes in applied position. This pawl is con-' nected by a'link 42 to a weighted'a'rm 43.-' The pawl is thus held by gravity in engagement with the teeth, but may be disengagedfor the purpose of releasing the brakes by a-smanual operation of arm 43. The pivot, 44 for this arm afiords a 1 rigid bell crank connection between the arm 43 and the depending arm 45, the latter,-through 5B0 link ,46, is connected with, a crank arm 41 of 'a needle valve '48co ntrolling a bleeder or return flow port'49between cylinder l4, and the reservoir," (Fig, 5). engagement 50 with supply reservoir. A (Fig, 3)' is provided between link 46 and the crank 41 to'insuretha't the pawl 4| is disengaged prior to pretum'flow '0! liquid from the cylinder a boss in thewall of the l4 to the reservoir l6". In case 01' undue pressure between the teeth 40 and pawl 4|v resisting motion of the cperatingfarm 43,- thismay be relieved byfthe downwardmotion of operating leverll.

ing means the brakes are applied by a law oscillations of lever 23 and released by the'opening.

of valve through throwingthe arm 43 backward, Fig. 3.

when the lever is oscillated plungers l9 and takes the'load, When'the brakes are fully applied further action of operating lever '23. is manually impossible, and the set positionof the brakesis held by pawl 4|.v is effected by shifting the weighted bell crank arm 43 to the right (Fig. 3), whichmotion" moves valve 48, Fig.5, away from port 48 and allows the liquid in the ram' cylinder to slowly return to reservoir it, according to the reactive force of the brake mechanism in a downward direction on the, headed rod 1. Whenever the port 49 isopen, pawl 4| is disengaged and allows for free return motion of the' ram.

The mounting of the brake operating unit has I not been describ ed, as it is identical to that employed for standard mechanical handbrake mechanism. The bolt holes in-the supporting structure are in the same location.

There are numerous advantages. to be had through ,use of a hydraulic brake-operating means of the character hereindescribed; for example, the plurality vof operating plungers of difierent capacities in effect are of the nature of mechanical means having changing lever ratios whereby. there is a quick take-upof slack in the rigging and the needed extended leverage for final forceful application of the brakes.- The, construction is easily operated and convenient for pump 7 by engagement with these teeth, serves to mechanically hold the,

railway cars, a "ranged for attachment to a vertical endrwall of ram cylinder having inner and outer The needle valve has threaded lost motion connection 5| In the operation of the hydraulic brake apply- Release of the brakes lease of thebrakes by any desired increments.

It is a long-lived structure,fsince the parts are few and rugged and the liquid may be of a lubricating nature. The particular arrangement of vertical operating rod coaxial with the surrounding ram and ram cylinder, provides for compactness, small dimensions and direct transmission of the thrust of the ram.

I claim:

.1. In a hand brake operating mechanism for supporting frame structure ara railway carandcomprising a unit including a cylindrical walls, a ram plunger inthe form of a cylinder fitting between the inner and outer walls or said ram cylinder, a brake operating rod extending vertically inside the inner wall of the ram cylinder and having an operative connection with the top of the ram plunger, and pump means for forcing fluid into the bottom oi. the" ram 'c'ylinder, and means controlling said ram plungerto J automatically change the efiectivebapacity oi said pump means for differentialapplicationof power to said ramplunger, I I

2. A brake operating construction arranged for mounting on a vertical end wall of a railway car and including 'a )ram, cylinder," a ram slidably mounted in saidcylinder, a plurality oi pump cylinders in communication with saidram'cylinder, plungers fitting I a for operating said plungers whereby liquid is cylinder, means ior automatically rendering'one or said pump cylinders and its plungerinefiective said pump cylinders, means forced Irom the pump cylinders into the ram for forcing liquid into said ram cylinder after a predetermined motion of said ram in the cylinder,

and another of said pump cylinders'and its plunger being independentor said means 3. Ida hand operated hydraulic brake mecha nism for railway cars, a, frame structure having mounted thereon manually operated pump actuating means, a pump plunger operated by said means, a cylinder ior said plunger, a ram' cylinder,

a ram movably supported therein, a supply reservoir for liquid} means affording a circuit of passageways between the supply reservoir,.pump cylinder, ram fcylinderand back to the supply reservoir; a ratchet-toothed rack on said ram, a pivoted pawl on said frame for retaining the ram in successive positions,'a valve controlling the flow of fluid from said ram cylinder to the supply reservoir, anda weighted bell crank linked tosaid pawl to hold same engaged and disengaged with said rack and linked to said valve to hold same-closed when the pawl is engaged and open when the'pawl is disengaged.

for mounting on the vertical end wall of a railway ,by-pass connection for rendering one'of said pump cylinders inefiective, and means automatically controlling said by-pass connectionthrough the position of said ram.

4. A hand-operated brake mechanism arranged I so f 5. In ahand-operated hydraulic brakemecha nism for railway cars, a frame structure having mounted thereon manually operated pump actuating means, a pump plunger operated by said means, acylinder for said plunger, a ram cylinder, a ram movably supported therein," a supply reservoirfor liquidym'eans affording a circuit oi. pas- 9,162,716 sageways between the supply reservoir, pump cylinder, ram cylinder and back, to the supply reservoir; a ratchet-toothedrack on said ram, a pivoted pawl on said frame for retaining the ram in successive positions, a valve controlling the flow of fluid from said ram cylinder to the supply reservoir, and a weighted arm connected to said pawl to hold same engaged and disengaged with said rack and connected to said valve to hold same closed when the pawl is engaged and open when the pawl is disengaged.

6. In a hand-operated hydraulic brake mechanism for railway cars, a frame structure having mountedthereon manually operated pump actuating means, a pump plunger operated by said means, a cylinder ior said plunger, a ram cylinder, a ram movably supported therein, a supply reservoir for liquid; means aflording a circuit of passageways between the supply reservoir, pump cylinder, ram cylinder and back to the supply reservoir; a ratchet-toothed rack on said ram, a pivoted pawl on said frame for retaining the ram in successive positions, a valve controlling the flow of fluid from said ram cylinder to the supply reservoir, and a weighted arm having connection to move and hold said pawl engaged and disengaged with said rack and having connection to move and hold said valve closed when the pawl is engaged and open when the pawl is disengaged, there being lost motion in one of said connections whereby the disengaging movement of the pawl will precede the opening of said valve.

7. A brake operating construction arranged for mounting on a vertical end wall of a railway car and including a ram cylinder, a ram slidably mounted in said cylinder, a pluralityv oi pump cylinders in communication with said ram cylinder,

plungers fitting said pump cylinders, means for operating said plungers whereby liquid is forced from the pump cylinders into the ram cylinder, by-pass means for rendering one of said pump cylinders and its plunger ineffective for forcing liquid into said ram cylinder, and means actuated by pressure of the ram operating fluid for controlling said by-pass means.

EDWIN E, VAN CLEAVE. 

